Does anyone know when the 2018 order bank will open?

[Steve0512]

I'm planning my lease return now.

 

[lietuviukasd]

When does your lease end? You looking to get a new one? Why didnt you buy one? Im in Chicago area I bought my in 2015 factory ordered one to be exact if FFE comes out with longer range in 2018 I would by one . How much was your lease in Chicago area what dealer did you buy from?

 

[triangles]

2018's are more or less identical to the '17s. Same 33.5 kWh battery.

 

[Smoking_Rubber]

2018's are more or less identical to the '17s. Same 33.5 kWh battery.

That's not completely validated imo. I've seen conflicting reports about a redesign coming soon. The fact is they've been vague about the 2018 specs. They said it would be the same battery but they also promised a significant range improvement. It's possible there are other changes in store.

They want to sell the 2017 models still so they're not showing all their cards just yet.

If it is identical to the 2017 I'll be disappointed. ... and likely waiting for a Model 3 instead.

 

[triangles]

That's not completely validated imo. I've seen conflicting reports about a redesign coming soon. The fact is they've been vague about the 2018 specs. They said it would be the same battery but they also promised a significant range improvement. It's possible there are other changes in store.

They want to sell the 2017 models still so they're not showing all their cards just yet.

If it is identical to the 2017 I'll be disappointed. ... and likely waiting for a Model 3 instead.

I believe the 2018 is the last MK3 Focus and 2019 will be the MK4 focus but don't quote me on that. Although, it would make absolutely no sense to retool the factory for a new Focus when they are shutting the factory down in 2018, and it does make a lot of sense for the Chinese Focus to be the next generation design since they will be tooling up the Chinese factory anyway.

This seems pretty crystal clear about the 2018 specs....
http://www.fleet.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/brochures/2018/2018_FocusElectric.pdf

I don't remember exactly when but for some reason I was thinking it was mid 2018 is when they shut down the factory to retool for the Ranger and eventually the Bronco at the Michigan Assembly Plant. After the shutdown all Focus production goes to China. Not sure where that leaves the FFE. The Flatrock Mi. plant is getting a 700 million expansion supposedly to specialize in ford electrified vehicles, whatever that means. There are many articles you can google about EVs at the flatrock plant but not a peep after last January. Also not a peep about the FFE's future after production ends in Michigan next year.

 

[Smoking_Rubber]

Ford Focus
2017 Final Order date = 6/30/2017
2018 Bank Open = 7/17/2017
2018 Job #1 Start up date = 10/9/2017

There is no separate information specifically about the Focus Electric. This is off the fleet build out sheet.
https://www.bblfleet.com/fleetdocs/ford_buildout.pdf

The good news is they'll kick out Job #1 13 days from now VERY optimistically I'll get my FFE in 4 weeks.

 

[Smoking_Rubber]

Like I said, there are reports of a redesign for the 2018 model.
http://fordnewmodels.com/new-ford-focus-2018-price/
http://frogcars.com/2018-ford-focus-redesign-photos/

I've got my fingers crossed. There has even been promises of increased battery efficiency / range.
http://www.brandonford.com/blog/2018-ford-focus-electric-new-exterior-color-and-driving-range/

There are also sites that say NOTHING has changed. We'll soon find out.

 

[Texas FFE]

We'll soon find out.

Maybe not. The 2017 FFE was in production a good six months before information on Ford website. I know that because the warranty start date for my 2017 FFE, that I bought certified, is September of 2016 but there was no information regarding the 2017 FFE on the Ford website until March of 2017.

 

[triangles]

Smoking_Rubber. I don't mean to bust your bubble but the document I linked to above is direct from Ford listing the 2018 specifications like the 33.5kWh battery and the exact same fuel economy ratings as the 2017 FFE The only thing different from the '17 I see is the ugly new green and no blue or red color options. I hope I am wrong but I expect the '18 model year to be the last FFE and the 300mi range ECOsport based "CUV" to be here for the '19 model year replacing the FFE as Ford's BEV offering. I would be ecstatic if they had a MK4 FFE along side the electric CUV but seeing as how Ford now doesn't make many FFEs and is reluctant to sell the FFE outside of CARB states I honestly can't see Ford selling any more BEVs than they have to in order to meet the CARB requirements.

The first two of your links are about the ICE focus in Europe. Europe got the MK3 focus before us and it is reasonable to believe they will get the MK4 focus next year and we will get the MK4 focus in '19 from China. There is exactly 0 possibility of the USA getting a MK4 focus for the 2018 model year. They are shutting down the factory sometime in 2018 to move next generation focus production to China. This article explicitly says the next generation focus will be the focus built in China. http://www.detroitnews.com/story/bu...duction-focus-china-wayne-michigan/103032080/ Oddly US focus production will stop mid 2018 and China focus production won't start till 2nd half 2019??? I wonder if this means we won't get a 2019 focus?

Your third link is to a FL dealer's blog from March. Hardly a reputable source and since we already know the efficiency of the '18 FFE has not improved likely the increased efficiency they mentioned was just wishful thinking.

I really wish I was wrong but the future of the FFE does not look promising

 

[chargedup]

Just an aside here for the Canadians, I checked in with my dealer about ordering the '18 FFE and was told it'll only be going to Quebec (maybe Ontario?). I'm in BC so if this is true, unfortunately, there will be no more FFE's coming up to us.

 

[spirilis]

I hope Ford's not going to enter a period of limbo where they have no BEV's... or they've pared it down to only a few locales. At least wait until their next BEV (SUV?) is out before axe'ing the FFE? (or better yet, double down and DON'T axe the FFE!)

 

[Smoking_Rubber]

Smoking_Rubber. I don't mean to bust your bubble but the document I linked to above is direct from Ford listing the 2018 specifications like the 33.5kWh battery and the exact same fuel economy ratings as the 2017 FFE The only thing different from the '17 I see is the ugly new green and no blue or red color options. I hope I am wrong but I expect the '18 model year to be the last FFE and the 300mi range ECOsport based "CUV" to be here for the '19 model year replacing the FFE as Ford's BEV offering. I would be ecstatic if they had a MK4 FFE along side the electric CUV but seeing as how Ford now doesn't make many FFEs and is reluctant to sell the FFE outside of CARB states I honestly can't see Ford selling any more BEVs than they have to in order to meet the CARB requirements.

The first two of your links are about the ICE focus in Europe. Europe got the MK3 focus before us and it is reasonable to believe they will get the MK4 focus next year and we will get the MK4 focus in '19 from China. There is exactly 0 possibility of the USA getting a MK4 focus for the 2018 model year. They are shutting down the factory sometime in 2018 to move next generation focus production to China. This article explicitly says the next generation focus will be the focus built in China. http://www.detroitnews.com/story/bu...duction-focus-china-wayne-michigan/103032080/ Oddly US focus production will stop mid 2018 and China focus production won't start till 2nd half 2019??? I wonder if this means we won't get a 2019 focus?

Your third link is to a FL dealer's blog from March. Hardly a reputable source and since we already know the efficiency of the '18 FFE has not improved likely the increased efficiency they mentioned was just wishful thinking.

I really wish I was wrong but the future of the FFE does not look promising

LOL You're a real ray of sunshine

You're probably right about it all. I'm still going down and ordering my 2018 FFE this weekend. Unless they offer some fantastic discount (>4k) to take a '17 off their hands I'll just wait for the order. I'll lease it for 2 or 3 years and save up for a Tesla.

Would they be running test mules in March '17 for a '19 or '20 release?

 

[campfamily]

I'm still going down and ordering my 2018 FFE this weekend. Unless they offer some fantastic discount (>4k) to take a '17 off their hands I'll just wait for the order. I'll lease it for 2 or 3 years and save up for a Tesla.

If you're looking for the longer range now, why not just go buy or lease a Bolt? I believe that if for some reason I was needing to replace my FFE I would do that.

Keith

 

[triangles]

Would they be running test mules in March '17 for a '19 or '20 release?

That's a good question! I honestly have no clue. I would speculate that it seems a little early but then again they might have mules/alphas out to work towards a more final design so they don't have to make any major changes in the productions lines after they've already tooled them up for the next generation production. I'm amazed at how quickly Tesla has brought the model 3 to market. I hope the steps they skipped to do that don't bite them in the ass.

I really didn't mean to be a Negative Nellie I was just trying to cushion your disappointment when the '18s end up being the same as the '17s. Then if ford did managed to do some improvements we could all be pleasantly surprised. I hope that fleet flyer I found showed the color options only for fleet buyers and not the color options available to regular consumers so you can still get that Hot Pepper Red Metallic FFE.

As much as I love my FFE If I were buying today I'm not sure I'd choose it again with other longer range vehicles coming to market. Now that the '18 Leaf isn't as fugly as the first ones, depending on how the pricing works out I'd consider it. To answer Keith's question at least from my personal view, the Bolt is a fantastic car and I'm glad it's on the market. However there are many personal/historical reasons I would never buy one. Mostly these reasons all boil down to the fact that I wouldn't want to buy a car from a company I have absolutely no faith in. I'm not a diehard ford guy that automatically hates GM. There's only about 2 or 3 manufactures that I wouldn't buy from. My next car will likely be a model 3 sometime in early '18. I have a day 1 reservation. I'm disappointed with the option pricing and from what I've seen I may not like the user experience enough to buy one. The lack of tactile controls (not having to take my eyes off the road) due to everything being on the touchscreen may make me pass on the model 3. I hadn't planned to buy until 2020 or so but if I can get the full tax credit by buying 2 years earlier then it makes sense to buy earlier. I'll keep my FFE for a winter beater :lol:

 

[jmueller065]

Would they be running test mules in March '17 for a '19 or '20 release?

If that is the case (at least for Ford) I would have already seen the mules out and about. I saw plenty of Bolt mules when there were testing, and frequently see Ford mules as I pretty much live in Ford country.

Haven't seen any.

 

[Smoking_Rubber]

Would they be running test mules in March '17 for a '19 or '20 release?

If that is the case (at least for Ford) I would have already seen the mules out and about. I saw plenty of Bolt mules when there were testing, and frequently see Ford mules as I pretty much live in Ford country.

Haven't seen any.

It's widely acknowledged they're working on a new Focus, but their priority level may not be at peek level if it's not going to be released until 2019. Maybe the number of test mules on the road is limited because they're not changing much? I'm just guessing.

Keep a camera handy in case you spot one.

 

[merkurmaniac]

Cargurus.dot.com is showing two 2018 FFE for sale. I imagine that its misprint. I am hoping that Ford throws some kind of bone and improves the 2018 just a little bit, or maybe a lot, range wise if nothing else. I wonder if the VIN would reveal the model year. ?

 

[Guest]

I just read an article (that google fed me, lol) that was all about fords new ceo and how he was slashing billions in ICE model redundancy and investing heavily in electric vehicles.

 

[jmueller065]

Like this article:
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/03/ford-to-cut-costs-funneling-savings-to-electric-self-driving-cars.html

I'm not holding my breath.

 

[merkurmaniac]

Pretty Uncool. I checked the VIN of the "2018 model", vin number 1FADP3R45JL205114

I used a website to reproduce the window sticker.

2018 5-DR Hatchback
5 Passenger
107 KW ELectric motor
6.6KW charger
33.5 KWH LIQUID COOLED BATTERY <===== UNCOOL PART.


ALso, Assembly plant "MICHIGAN"